Spinach Ricotta Lasagna
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Spinach Ricotta Lasagna is a meatless but hearty Italian main dish. This recipe combines layers of noodles, homemade marinara sauce, a creamy ricotta cheese mixture, and plenty of spinach and sautéed mushrooms. Fresh ingredients and a comfort food classic!
Try my Classic Lasagna Roll Ups next!
Vegetable Lasagna
While we love The Ultimate Lasagna Recipe that’s loaded with meat sauce, we occasionally enjoy a vegetarian lasagna like this one. Spinach and mushrooms are a perfect combination for the filling, along with a creamy ricotta cheese and layers of tender pasta.
Another favorite meatless lasagna is a blog favorite – my Butternut Squash Lasagna with Spinach! The sauce is key and it’s a great addition to your meal rotation.
Why This Recipe Works
- INCREDIBLE FLAVOR. My homemade marinara sauce is both healthy and super tasty. Plus, you can’t go wrong when using ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese!
- A MEATLESS RECIPE. While we do enjoy eating meat, I try to make a meatless recipe quite often. For all you meat-lovers, you won’t miss it in this homemade lasagna. Trust me!
- MAKES GREAT MEAL PREP. Leftovers are just as good (or better) than eating this fresh out of the oven. Just slice it, and pack it for lunches. SO good!
Ingredients Used:
- Lasagna Noodles – You’ll need 15 (boiled to al dente) lasagna noodles for this recipe.
- Spinach – I prefer using baby spinach leaves and snapping off the stems.
- Mushrooms – I used Bella mushrooms but white ones work too.
- Marinara Sauce – I highly recommend making my homemade marinara sauce. In a pinch, you could use store-bought sauce.
- Cheese Mixture – A combination of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese!
How to make Spinach Ricotta Lasagna
Step 1
Sauté mushrooms. In a stock pot, add a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until softened. Add a sprinkle of salt and then set aside.
Step 2
Sauté spinach. Wipe the pot out and then another drizzle of olive oil. Add spinach and stir until wilted (just 2-3 minutes).
Remove spinach to some paper towel. Squeeze out the liquid and then chop the spinach into smaller pieces.
Step 3
Cook noodles. Cook the lasagna noodles in a pot of water over medium heat until al dente. Use plenty of salt to the water. When done, drain and then pat dry with paper towels to remove excess water.
Step 4
Combine cheese. In a medium bowl, combine three different kinds of cheese – ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Add an egg, a sprinkle of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and stir well.
Step 5
Add spinach to cheese mixture. Then add the wilted spinach to the cheese and stir again.
Step 6
Make marinara sauce.
- Heat a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and then the chopped onions. Stir until softened (about 3-4 minutes), add seasonings, and then the minced garlic.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, a bay leaf (optional), and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Add the sugar.
- Set sauce aside to cool slightly.
Step 7
Assemble lasagna. Use a 9×13 casserole dish to assemble the lasagna.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce (about 3/4 cup of marinara) to the bottom of the 9×13 casserole dish, using a spatula to spread to all sides of the dish.
- Add five cooked noodles to the pan.
- Next add 1/3 of the cheese and spinach mixture and spread to all sides of pan.
- Add 1/3 of the mushrooms to the ricotta layer.
- Then add about 1/3 of the sauce to the top.
- Repeat this process three times until all of the ingredients are used.
- Add a little more mozzarella and parmesan cheese to the top layer.
Step 8
Bake lasagna. Bake lasagna, covered with aluminum foil, in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and then either bake for another 15 minutes or broil for a couple of minutes until golden brown on top.
Remove lasagna from the oven and let it sit (covered) for at least 15 minutes until it fully sets.
Step 9
Serve. Slice the lasagna in eight large pieces and serve with extra freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves (optional).
Make-Ahead: This lasagna can be prepared on one day, stored in the refrigerator overnight, and then baked the following day. (Add extra cooking time!) It’s a great recipe to prep in advance.
To Freeze:
- You can also FREEZE this lasagna before baking. Remove from freezer, let thaw completely, and then bake until hot and bubbly.
- You can also FREEZE portions of this lasagna after baking. Place in airtight containers and cover with freezer bags.
What to serve with Spinach Ricotta Lasagna:
- A simple green salad or the Best Italian Chopped Salad.
- My Mom’s French Bread or the best Sourdough Focaccia Bread!
- For dessert? How about French Silk Pie (my fav), No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bites, or some Moist Strawberry Shortcake.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Spinach Ricotta Lasagna
Ingredients
- 15 lasagna noodles – boiled
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound fresh spinach
- 24 oz. sliced mushrooms – sautéed
- fresh basil – to serve
For the marinara sauce:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 large onion – chopped
- 3 cloves garlic – diced
- 28 oz. fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 3-4 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
For the cheese layer:
- 32 oz. ricotta cheese
- 8 oz. mozzarella cheese – divided
- 4 oz. freshly grated parmesan cheese – divided
- 1 large egg
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
Instructions
- Sauté mushrooms. In a stock pot, add a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until softened. Add a sprinkle of salt and then set aside.
- Sauté spinach. Wipe the pot out and then another drizzle of olive oil. Add spinach and stir until wilted (just a couple of minutes).
- Remove spinach to some paper towel. Squeeze out the liquid and then chop the spinach into smaller pieces.
- Cook noodles. Cook the lasagna noodles in a pot of water until al dente. Use plenty of salt to the water. Rinse in cool water and then drain well.
- Combine cheese. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Add an egg, a sprinkle of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and stir well.
- Add spinach to cheese mixture. Then add the wilted spinach to the cheese and stir again.
- Make marinara sauce. Heat a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and then the chopped onions. Stir until softened (about 3-4 minutes), add seasonings, and then the minced garlic.Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Add the sugar. Set sauce aside to cool slightly.
Assemble lasagna. Use a 9×13 casserole dish to assemble the lasagna.
- Spread about 3/4 cup of marinara to the bottom of the 9×13 casserole dish, using a spatula to spread to all sides of the dish.Add five lasagna noodles to the pan.Next add 1/3 of the cheese mixture and spread to all sides of pan.Add 1/3 of the mushrooms to the ricotta layer.Then add about 1/3 of the sauce to the top.Repeat this process three times until all of the ingredients are used.Top with a little more mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Bake lasagna. Bake lasagna, covered with foil, in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and then either bake for another 15 minutes or broil for a couple of minutes.
- Remove lasagna from the oven and let it sit (covered) for at least 15 minutes until it fully sets.
- Serve. Slice the lasagna in eight large pieces and serve with extra freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
- You can also FREEZE this lasagna before baking. Remove from freezer, let thaw completely, and then bake until hot and bubbly.
- You can also FREEZE portions of this lasagna after baking. Place in airtight containers and cover with freezer bags.
Love it! I feel so much better with an occasional meatless meal or day. But, what I really enjoy are meatless meals and I don’t even realize it! Well done!